Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) in Tanzania

Tanzania: Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) was 5.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
5.6%
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
189th
of 218 countries
All-time high
6.1%
in 1984
All-time low
4.6%
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025

Age dependency ratio, old in Tanzania, 1960–2025

0246196019922025

Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.

Analysis

The most recent figure for age dependency ratio, old in Tanzania is 5.6%, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 0.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, old in Tanzania peaked at 6.1% in 1984 and was at its lowest, 4.6%, in 1960.

Tanzania ranks 189th of 218 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.

Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) in Tanzania, year by year

Annual values for Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) in Tanzania, 1960 to 2025.
Year % of working-age population Change
1960 4.6% —
1961 4.6% +0.5%
1962 4.6% +0.5%
1963 4.6% +0.6%
1964 4.7% +0.8%
1965 4.7% +1.0%
1966 4.8% +1.1%
1967 4.8% +1.0%
1968 4.9% +0.9%
1969 4.9% +0.9%
1970 5.0% +1.2%
1971 5.0% +1.4%
1972 5.1% +1.4%
1973 5.2% +1.6%
1974 5.3% +1.8%
1975 5.4% +1.8%
1976 5.5% +1.8%
1977 5.6% +1.8%
1978 5.7% +1.8%
1979 5.8% +1.8%
1980 5.9% +1.8%
1981 6.0% +1.8%
1982 6.1% +1.5%
1983 6.1% +0.7%
1984 6.1% +0.2%
1985 6.1% -0.3%
1986 6.0% -0.8%
1987 6.0% -1.2%
1988 5.9% -1.0%
1989 5.9% -0.5%
1990 5.9% -0.6%
1991 5.8% -0.5%
1992 5.8% -0.6%
1993 5.7% -1.8%
1994 5.5% -3.0%
1995 5.4% -1.7%
1996 5.5% +0.6%
1997 5.5% +0.2%
1998 5.4% -0.9%
1999 5.4% -0.9%
2000 5.3% -1.1%
2001 5.3% -0.8%
2002 5.2% -0.4%
2003 5.2% -0.3%
2004 5.2% -0.2%
2005 5.2% -0.1%
2006 5.2% +0.1%
2007 5.2% +0.3%
2008 5.3% +0.7%
2009 5.3% +1.4%
2010 5.4% +1.4%
2011 5.5% +1.1%
2012 5.5% +1.1%
2013 5.6% +0.9%
2014 5.6% +0.5%
2015 5.6% -0.0%
2016 5.6% -0.3%
2017 5.6% -0.1%
2018 5.6% +0.2%
2019 5.6% +0.4%
2020 5.6% +0.2%
2021 5.6% -0.1%
2022 5.6% -0.1%
2023 5.6% -0.1%
2024 5.6% -0.3%
2025 5.6% -0.5%

Tanzania compared with similar countries

  • Tanzania's 5.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 7.0%, 80% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
  • Tanzania's 5.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.7%, 97% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 4.7% 4.6% 4.9% 10
1970s 5.3% 5.0% 5.8% 10
1980s 6.0% 5.9% 6.1% 10
1990s 5.6% 5.4% 5.9% 10
2000s 5.2% 5.2% 5.3% 10
2010s 5.6% 5.4% 5.6% 10
2020s 5.6% 5.6% 5.6% 6

Countries ranked near Tanzania

  1. 186 Benin 5.7% compare
  2. 187 Papua New Guinea 5.7% compare
  3. 188 Gambia 5.6% compare
  4. 190 Sierra Leone 5.6% compare
  5. 191 Guinea-Bissau 5.5% compare
  6. 192 Angola 5.5% compare

See the full ranking of 266 places →

More health data for Tanzania

All data for Tanzania →

Frequently asked questions

What is age dependency ratio, old in Tanzania?
Age dependency ratio, old in Tanzania was 5.6% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
What is the highest age dependency ratio, old recorded in Tanzania?
The highest recorded value was 6.1% in 1984.
What is the lowest age dependency ratio, old recorded in Tanzania?
The lowest recorded value was 4.6% in 1960.
How does Tanzania rank for age dependency ratio, old?
Tanzania ranks 189th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
Is age dependency ratio, old rising or falling in Tanzania?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Tanzania data come from?
The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Age dependency ratio, old in Tanzania. Statizoid, drawing on World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/age-dependency-ratio-old-percent-of-working-age-population/tanzania/

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About this data

Indicator
Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population)
Unit
% of working-age population
Source
World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
266 places, 17,526 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.